Our section is investigating the structural basis of intercellular signaling via chemotaxis and the role of chemokines and defensins in the process of viral infection. We are also interested in correlating the structures of defensins and chemokines with their antimicrobial and chemotactic properties. We are also studying the enzymatic mechanism and specificity of human L-asparaginase and plant-type asparaginases, structures of urokinase plasminogen activator complex with its receptor as wel as TREM-Like Transcript protein 1 (TLT-1). Although we primarily use X-ray crystallography in our studies, our research techniques extend into biochemistry and molecular biology. Our recent efforts have been concentrated inthree distinct areas: 1) chemokines and chemokine receptors, 2)alpha- and beta-defensins, 3) Complex of urokinase plasminogen activator and its receptor, 4) TLT-1